BOOK NOTES

The injustice of internment operations

"Without Just Cause: Canada's First National Internment Operations and the Ukrainian Canadians, 1914-1920" by Dr. Lubomyr Y. Luciuk. Kingston: The Kashtan Press, ISBN: 1896354408. Paperback, 69 pp. $20 (USD).

In this book, Dr. Lubomyr Luciuk examines a dark chapter in Canadian history during World War I by sharing the stories, memoirs and recollections of various people on both sides of the barbed wire. The book contains copies of original documents and photographs that help the reader to see what was on the minds of officials at the time and provide a glimpse into the lives of the internees.

In the first part of the book, Dr. Luciuk introduces the reader to the internment operation and points out that many Ukrainians were targeted due to misunderstandings about their ethnic identity because they were identified as "Austrian," "Austro-Hungarian," "Ruthenian," "Bukovynian" or "Galician."

In the second part of the book, Dr. Luciuk presents "An Agreement-in-Principle," an official document between the Canadian government and the Ukrainian Canadian community that recognizes the injustices committed during this period, but does not bind the Canadian government to reparations or the admission of guilt.

Another piece included in the book is titled "No Longer in Fear of the Barbed Wire." Written by Dr. Luciuk, it was read at the signing of the "Agreement-in-Principle" on August 24, 2005. The article was also featured in Canadian publications, including the Winnipeg Sun, the National Post and The Whig Standard. The text recognized Mary Manko, the last living survivor of the internment operation, and expressed the commitment to secure the memory of those who lived and died during times of intolerance.

Dr. Luciuk acknowledges the work of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, along with the Canadian government toward a final Ukrainian Canadian Reconciliation Accord. He also recognizes the initiative by Member of Parliament Peter Milliken, who was the first to call for a righting of this historic wrong in 1991, and the initiative of Inky Mark, whose Bill C331 - The Ukrainian Restitution Act continues to further that cause.

A copy of the Ukrainian Canadian Restitution Act is included in the book and it clearly states that ongoing negotiations between the Ukrainian Canadian community and the Canadian government are focused on recognition of this injustice via measures such as plaques at the places of internment, public education initiatives on the operations and the contributions made by Ukrainians to the development of Canada, and commemorative postage stamps will also be issued.

"Without Just Cause" has a detailed source list of films, books, music and teachers' guides included for those interested in pursuing more information.

The author, Dr. Luciuk, is a professor of political geography at the Royal Military College of Canada and serves as director of research for the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

Readers can obtain copies of this book by contacting the publisher directly at: The Kashtan Press, 22 Gretna Green, Kingston, ON, K7M 3J2 (Canada).

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, October 15, 2006, No. 42, Vol. LXXIV

| Home Page |